16th March 2022
33rd Annual 'Made in Ireland' St Patrick’s Day show will broadcast live for 24 hours from Slane Castle, Co Meath
youtu.be/PmUlxvMiEfY
Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland are collaborating to co-deliver this important 24-hour broadcast which will showcase Irish craft producers and Ireland as a tourist destination
Prime opportunity for Irish craft producers to be showcased to QVC’s shopping community of millions of potential customers in the United States and across the world
Ireland and Irish craft producers will be celebrated and showcased in a broadcast on live ecommerce shopping platform QVC, which will reach millions of potential customers in the United States on St Patrick’s Day.
The St Patrick’s Day ‘Made in Ireland’ broadcast on QVC US, one of the world’s largest video commerce platforms, is an important annual event for Irish producers as QVC boasts a highly engaged shopping community of millions of customers in the United States and beyond.
The 33rd ‘Made in Ireland’ event, which is a collaboration between Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland, will also showcase Ireland as a tourist destination, this year broadcasting live from the historic Slane Castle in Co Meath. Beginning at 12am ET on 17 March 2022, the 24-hour live event will kick off and can be viewed at QVC.com or from one of the many QVC apps. 'Made in Ireland' is available to shop now and additional digital content from Ireland can be viewed on QVC’s livestream destination at QVC.com, search "livestream".
Some of Ireland’s most prolific traditional brands are amongst the craft producers who will be showcased on the platform during the broadcast, including Killarney Crystal, Charles Gallen Irish Linen, and Fadó.
Due to the success of a series of popular ‘Made in Ireland’ events on QVC last year, in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland, the annual St Patrick’s Day show broadcast time has been extended to run for 24 hours for the first time in 11 years.
Earlier this month, QVC also hosted a 30-minute livestream event from Bunratty Castle and Folk Park, County Clare on their website and Facebook page. As well as showcasing some Irish-made products, this event on 4 March also put a spotlight on Ireland’s western region to QVC’s social media community which has millions of followers.
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Leo Varadkar TD said:
“This is an incredible opportunity for Irish designers and creators. The QVC ‘Made in Ireland’ broadcast reaches millions of people in the U.S., giving Irish entrepreneurs the chance to showcase the quality and uniqueness of their products to a huge audience. As well as raising the profile and increasing the sales of those businesses featured, it’s also a great opportunity to promote Ireland as a tourist destination and reinforce our reputation for exceptional craftsmanship.”
Sue Schick, SVP Content and Broadcast Production, QVC US said:
"For 33 years we have celebrated St Patrick’s Day on QVC and this year we’re so excited to present the 24-hour live event across multiple platforms from Slane Castle in Co Meath. As a world leader in video commerce, we are constantly developing fresh programming with exciting products to delight our passionate community of engaged customers, and these ‘Made in Ireland’ broadcasts are a wonderful addition to our lineup. Earlier this month, we hosted a live event from Bunratty Castle and Folk Park on our social channels and our customer absolutely loved the livestream. The QVC customer always looks forward to hearing the storied history behind the Irish artisans, and we are thrilled to bring these products to them live from the beautiful countryside of Ireland, in collaboration with Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland.”
Leo Clancy, CEO of Enterprise Ireland said:
"We are delighted to support the annual QVC St Patrick's Day programme. There is a long-standing relationship between Enterprise Ireland and QVC that presents a key opportunity for the Irish craft industry to showcase their work to millions of customers.”
Tourism Ireland CEO, Niall Gibbons, said:
"Tourism Ireland is delighted to collaborate with QVC and Enterprise Ireland on this event. As well as showcasing high-quality Irish craftmanship, this important opportunity will also bring the iconic and historic Slane Castle to millions of homes around the world. This annual broadcast is of particular significance in the context of tourism this year, as it offers a chance to showcase Ireland’s Ancient East and the broader destination to potential visitors as leisure travel returns.
Mr Gibbons continued:
“St Patrick’s Day is the highlight of the early vacation season and what a year 2022 is going to be. We have fabulous new attractions including the Game of Thrones Studio Tour at Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge, just a short drive from Belfast, the newly designated UNESCO City of Music; and we are also celebrating the 100th anniversary of James Joyce’s revered masterpiece Ulysses, one of the world’s most iconic works of literature.”
ENDS
Notes to Editor:
About Slane Castle Estate
Home to the Conyngham family since 1703 and world-famous concert venue, Slane Castle Estate extends over 1500 lush acres in the Boyne Valley. Visitors can follow in the footsteps of royalty and rockstars as they soak up the history on guided Castle tours taking in 18th century interiors and the colourful family history. Slane Castle is one of the most architecturally exciting buildings in Ireland. The Ballroom is a highlight, completed in 1821 for the visit of King George IV, this impressive rotunda with a magnificent domed ceiling is one of the finest examples of Neo Gothic works in Ireland. Renowned for perfect acoustics, it is where U2 recorded The Unforgettable Fire album.
The Irish producers to be featured on the QVC St Patrick's Day Show:
- Aran Woollen Mills / Kilronan
- Charles Gallen Irish Linen
- Fadó Jewelery
- Fisherman out of Ireland
- JC Walsh and Sons / Connemara Marble
- JMH Jewellery
- Irelands Eye / Islanders
- Killarney Crystal
- Solvar
- West End Knitwear / Aran Craft
- Glendara
About Tourism Ireland
- Tourism Ireland is the organization responsible for promoting the island of Ireland overseas as a leading holiday destination.
- In 2019, we welcomed almost 11.3 million overseas visitors to the island of Ireland, delivering revenue of over €5.8 billion.
- Tourism Ireland's international website is ireland.com, 33 market sites available in 30 different countries in 11 language versions around the world.
- Tourism Ireland's international website is ireland.com, 29 market sites available in 11 language versions around the world, which attracted 20.3 million visitors in 2018.
About Enterprise Ireland
- Enterprise Ireland is the Irish Government's trade and innovation agency.
- We invest in the most innovative Irish companies through all stages of their growth and connect them to international customers across multiple industries.
- Our goal is to build successful, long-term business relationships between international companies and Irish partners.
- With 40 offices worldwide, Enterprise Ireland's teams of industry experts consult with international businesses to understand and solve their business needs.
About the Irish Vendor Business at QVC US
- At one time, QVC was the #1 purchaser/vendor/importer of Irish goods in America.
- The majority of QVC's Irish product is developed especially for QVC, enabling new product debuts, unique item configurations, and pieces created in special colors.
- Sales from the Irish business come from two major event days: St Patrick's Day in March and Rose of Tralee in September.
- Our sweater vendors (Aran Craft and Kilronan) ship more colors of their sweater styles to QVC than any other retailer.
- We offer a diverse assortment of products – ranging from traditional Irish sweaters to pottery, art and photography, hand-painted collectibles – one of the most diverse offerings we offer in a program.
- We currently work with approximately Ten unique Irish vendors. Some of these vendors have been with us since the beginning of QVC introducing the Irish programming.
- We work with all types of vendors from very small companies that work out of their garages, only producing a few hundred pieces to national brands like Belleek.
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